Rebuilt to Last
by Sargo
Summary: During his mission to stop the Collectors, Shepard receives a message from Mindoir's new Governor, asking him to return to where it all began. Rated M for some language.


His phoenix pipe trailed smoke lazily as he held it limply in his hand.

_Mr. Shepard, we would be honored if you could join us for the ceremony_…

A ceremony. A fucking ceremony. He must have read that line, what, a thousand times now? Shepard lifted the pipe and inhaled deeply. As he exhaled he leaned into his open palm and shut his eyes.

It had been an innocent news story broadcast over those sometimes useful, most times annoying, extranet news stations situated all over the Citadel. He hadn't believed it at first. Then this message, from the colony's governor, Kevin Sanders, showing it really _was_ true.

He sucked in some more smoke, the slight trembling in his fingers infuriating him. He re-read the message again, the bright screen of the console beginning to irritate his eyes. The rest of the room was completely dark, the _Normandy_ and her crew silent. It was just him and this goddamn message.

Scrubbing his face with his palm, he thought of what to do. Like, how the fuck to answer this message?

Shepard hadn't been to Mindoir since the batarians hit. Since Anderson had picked him up, dusted him off, and given him a canteen of water. Since the sun had scorched his skin raw, making it hard to tell what was his skin and what was dried blood. That had been a fun shower.

_It shouldn't even be a question_, he tried to rationalize. _They want to_-_they_ will _use my likeness…I should be there_.

But then why was he feeling clammy and sick to his stomach? Why were his fingers faintly trembling?

"Fuck." He took another drag. He read the message again.

"Commander, do you require assistance?" EDI asked. "Your smoking habit has been linked to stress and you have been sitting in front of your console for the past two hours."

It was times like this that Shepard missed the _Normandy_. The old one.

He ground his teeth. "No, EDI. Don't interrupt me again unless the ship is about to explode or some other emergency is imminent."

"Of course, Commander." Silence. To think how the _fuck_ to respond to this message.

Setting the pipe down he tried typing out a response.

_Mr. Sanders. Fuck no fuck no fuck no fuck no_-

With a growl he deleted the type.

_Mr. Sanders, it is my deepest regret to say FUCK NO_-

Gnashing his teeth he deleted it. It should be a simple answer: yes or no?

Then why couldn't he just _say_ yes or no?

Shepard pushed himself away from the desk, picking up his pipe in the process. Stepping to the lower level he began pacing beside his bed, clenching down on the worn wood of the pipe.

The last time he'd been there everyone he'd known had been killed or taken. Some could very well still be out there, slaves to some twisted, sadistic pigs with no soul or remorse. And that was how he remembered it. A place of pain and loss that left him feeling hollow, as if someone scooped out his soul. He didn't _want_ to go back. And he clenched tighter at the fact that that made him a fucking coward.

He paused in his pacing and fell into a sit on the edge of his bed. With a press of his finger he activated his omni-tool. No way he'd make the call on the console where those Cerberus cunts could track him.

More smoke trailed up to the ceiling as he tapped his foot anxiously, waiting for her to pick up. One ring came and went, then another, then another-

"Shepard!" Liara's face filled the projected screen. Already she looked worried. "It's…it's…" she peered off-screen. "It is two in the morning! Is something wrong?"

Shepard stared into the corner and brought the pipe away from his mouth. "Uh…yeah. Something is wrong. I…I needed to talk to you. Do you have time?"

"Of course, Taylor. What is it? Are you hurt? Is it someone on the crew?"

He shook his head, refusing to look at her, refusing to let her see the redness ringing his eyes. "Everyone is fine. And I am too. Physically, at least." He lifted the pipe to his mouth and inhaled deeply. "Have you heard anything about the colony over the Broker channels?" he asked, smoke billowing from between his lips.

Liara didn't need him to clarify what colony he was talking about. "No, I have not. Why? Has it been attacked again?" From her voice he could tell she was leaning closer and closer to her omni-tool, concern written all over her blue face, ingrained in her sapphire eyes.

He shook his head again. "No. I just got a message from them. Want me to go there for some ceremony. They're using my likeness for the colonial seal." He spoke in quick bursts, eyes still focused on the dark corner of the room.

She was silent for a long moment. "What did you say?"

"Nothing yet. I don't know what the fuck to say." His foot began tapping restlessly as he felt the urge to start pacing again. "I mean, I _should_ go. It shouldn't even be a question, but…I don't want to. I don't want to go there and face that." Shepard took another compulsive drag. "And that makes me a coward. And I fucking _hate_ that."

"No, it does not," Liara answered firmly. "Taylor, there is no shame in feeling reluctance. What happened there is…is horrible. No one would blame you if you declined. _I_ would not blame you. And I would _never_ think less of you." Shepard smiled at that, at the sheer conviction in her voice.

"But I would." Another drag. "I feel like I'm caught between a rock and a hard place here, Liara."

"I can only imagine." There was another long pause as neither spoke. "I think you need closure."

"Closure?" he echoed.

"Yes. You only remember Mindoir for the horrors you witnessed and escaped. Maybe it would be…therapeutic to see it again, rebuilt and still living." He closed his eyes as he imagined her laying a warm, comforting hand on his. "It might help to see it again."

Damn it. Sometimes he wondered what he would do without her.

"Maybe," he agreed. "I think…yeah. You're right." Shepard placed the pipe on the bedside table. "I'll answer him now."

"When is the ceremony?"

Shepard scratched his chin. "Three days from now, I think he said."

"That is fine. I can secure a transport in time."

_A transport_? "Wait, what?" Shepard looked at the vidlink's screen for the first time and met her gaze. "You'll come?"

"Why wouldn't I?" she asked, tilting her head. "Feron can handle the work in my absence."

Damn it. What would he do without her?

"Thank you," he muttered, his throat suddenly tight. "Thank you."

Liara smiled at him. "You can thank me in person. I will contact you later."

Shepard laughed despite it all. "Alright. I'll see you soon."

They smiled at each other and ended the link. Alone and in the dark, Shepard walked up the steps to the office area and sat in front of the console.

_Thank you for the invitation Mr. Sanders. I will be present for the ceremony_…

He finished typing and sent it before he could even consider changing his mind.

"EDI," he called out.

Her blue avatar appeared near his door an instant later. "Yes, Commander?"

"Have Joker set a new course. To Mindoir."

O-O-O-O-O

Shepard stared out the window of the shuttle. It felt strange. The last time he'd looked out a shuttle window over Mindoir he'd seen tall towers of smoke and flame, even what he had imagined were bodies strewn across the streets. And he'd been leaving, not arriving.

The trees and fields looked the same. There were no fires, no black smoke choking the air. But he still felt an abnormal amount of tension coiled in his gut, sitting in there like a weight, as if he were about to walk into certain death.

Last time he'd been practically naked. Now he was wearing the ridiculous suit Kasumi had wrestled him into during the heist, claiming it was the only appropriate attire to wear to the event.

And last time Anderson had been standing beside him, his hand on Shepard's shoulder. Now it was Liara, wearing a gorgeous, flowing, purple dress. He would've been complimenting her, would've stared at her even, if his mind hadn't been preoccupied.

"It will be fine," she whispered in his ear reassuringly, as if sensing his thoughts, squeezing his shoulder.

Shepard placed his hand on hers. "I know. But still." She pressed herself into his side and rested her cheek on his arm.

She'd taken a transport to the new docking station now orbiting the colony. Shepard had met her there and together they'd taken the Kodiak from the _Normandy_. The others would be joining later for the actual ceremony; right now he and Liara were on their way to meet Governor Sanders before the main event.

"Approaching the landing site," the Cerberus pilot called from the front. The Kodiak slowed and Shepard opened the door. He stepped out onto the ground and offered a hand to Liara, who accepted with a smile. "I'll be back later with the others," the pilot reported, already taking off.

As the shuttle departed, Shepard grasped Liara's hand and gestured to the area with the other. "This is Mindoir. My home." He could hardly believe the words as they left his mouth. The spaceport was in the center of the main settlement, houses and small shops spreading from it in a grid pattern. The actual farms, where most of the people lived, were up to a mile away.

"Where is everyone?" Liara asked as she peered around.

Shepard shrugged. "Maybe preparing for the ceremony? Who knows." He laughed nervously. Liara tightened her grip and he reciprocated the effort.

The buildings and houses had been fixed. The roads had been cleaned and enhanced. No longer were there dirt roads but paved roads with metal sidewalks. Everything was fixed. But new. Different. Unfamiliar.

But the summer heat, thick and heavy, was familiar. The occasional cool, welcome breezes were the same. The rustle of the trees and chirp of the birds were no different.

"Commander Shepard! Commander!" He and Liara turned to see a short and round man in an expensive looking suit rushing up to them. "Commander!" the man exclaimed, taking Shepard's free hand and shaking it vigorously. "Kevin Sanders. It is such an honor to meet you and have you present for this historic event!"

Shepard smiled at the man's exuberance and returned the shake. "Thank you for having me. This is Dr. Liara-"

"Dr. Liara T'Soni!" Sanders released Shepard and took Liara's hand, raising it to his mouth and lightly kissing her skin. To her credit Liara did not shrink away from the old human custom. "Even more beautiful in person! I am humbled by your presence."

Liara laughed softly and blushed. "Thank you, Governor. You are too kind." Sanders released her hand and took a step back, a wide grin splitting his round face.

Shepard took a step closer to Liara, secretly pleased with the introduction. He'd been worried that bringing her would cause problems. He had no way of knowing how the new colonists would react to him bringing an asari who was obviously more than a friend.

"Where is everyone?" Shepard asked. "I would have expected more people to be bustling around here."

Sanders waved a hand, still grinning. "Oh, most are making final preparations for the ceremony while others are getting themselves ready for it. This is a big day for all of us!" He began to walk, gesturing for Shepard and Liara to follow him. "The ceremony doesn't start for another three hours, as you know, so I just wanted to take the time to give you a quick rundown of the plan and show you around." He turned to face them, the almost comically wide grin still present. "Agreeable?"

Shepard looked to Liara who nodded with a small grin of her own. "Yes. Let's go." The Governor practically bounced in the air and quickly walked down the sidewalk. Shepard and Liara, hand-in-hand, followed as Sanders took them on a quick tour.

He led them through the spaceport to the houses, detailing how he had been present for the reconstruction and remodeling. The battles he'd fought, trying to wrangle more money and funding from the Alliance and any corporation he could to get things running.

Liara listened intently, her eyes following the exuberant Governor. Shepard only half-listened, his gaze fixated on the buildings but focused on something beyond.

These were new houses. Fancier, probably a little larger. Maybe even had newer, up-to-date consoles. And they were shinier, as if their newness clung to them with a gleaming sheen. The layout was the same, the buildings appeared the same at first glance, but this was not the Mindoir he remembered.

They passed a shop, _Yuri's Shop_, it was so aptly named. Liara and Sanders did not see the frown that creased his brow. This place, a larger building on the corner of a road near the edge of the town, had been _Dylan's Repairs_. Todd Dylan had been a big, burly guy with a thick, wiry black beard and big, strong, callused hands. He'd come with the first wave of colonists and started the colony's only repair shop. Back on Earth Dylan had been a mechanic and his skills had come in much demand here.

Sanders kept talking and Liara kept listening and Shepard smiled to himself. Years, decades ago, his father had brought their skycar to Dylan's and Shepard had come along. While his father and the intimidating mechanic spoke, Shepard had slipped away and went exploring around the garage, fascinated by the various array of tools and parts. He was so fascinated and enamored with the sight that he failed to notice the large can of oil, which he promptly tripped over and spilled _every_where. His father had scolded him and Shepard remembered being terrified of the hulking Mr. Dylan. But the big man just burst out laughing, a deep baritone note that reverberated around the garage. Laughed himself silly until he was red in the face. After that incident, Shepard often found himself visiting Mr. Dylan, with or without his father.

Sadness lurked behind his fading smile as they continued on. He never found out what happened to Mr. Dylan. He had liked to think that he went down swinging, killing a hundred batarians before going down in a blaze of glory. He still liked to think that, even though he knew the odds of it were nonexistent.

The tour continued and Shepard continued to find himself thinking of the previous occupants. The new repair shop had been Carmack Elroy's home, a boy from his school. Some house had been Eliza Hawthorne's home, the girl from his school he'd had a huge crush on but had never worked up the courage to ask out. Another house had been Roy and Bev's Shop, the oldest and nicest couple in the colony. Mrs. Bev always used to give him and his brother a piece of candy whenever they stopped by the store. At least when they were little.

As Sanders' tour began to wind down, Shepard came to think that this wasn't Mindoir. This was a new colony, a new town, new farms, transplanted onto the ruins of the old, the real, Mindoir. The real Mindoir that had no living proof of have ever existing; except for him. And Talitha, wherever she was. It felt strange, walking around in this place that had the same name, same layout, same coordinates, of his home yet was distinctly not. Everything was too new, too clean, too advanced. When he'd lived here, everything had a rustic, old-fashioned feel to it. The feeling you experienced by living on the frontier.

Sanders led them back to the spaceport, concluding their tour. Shepard stood there, wondering what was worse; remembering Mindoir as it was originally with all the attached memories, or seeing it now as an imposter. And at that moment, he wasn't sure.

"Commander?" Shepard blinked and looked to the Governor. "Did you hear me?"

Shepard cleared his throat. "Sorry, no, my mind was wandering. What did you say?"

Sanders was still smiling and Shepard was glad that at least one thing about this place was genuine. "We still have just over two hours until the ceremony begins. I just need to tell you what you need to do and I'll let you and the lovely Doctor walk around and explore." Shepard could tell without looking that Liara blushed at the comment.

"There will be a podium set up on the far edge of the colony, near the fields and woods. Are you familiar with the area?"

He shook his head. "Very."

"Perfect! You will be seated on the stage with me and some other officials. Dr. T'Soni is most welcome to join you onstage," he added, glancing toward Liara. "I'll be the one delivering the main speech and unveiling the new seal and flag. All you need to do is stand up with me for a quick photo opportunity, you know, smiles and handshakes." Sanders laughed. "If you'd like you can say a few words, but it is not necessary." He looked from Shepard to Liara. "Any questions?"

Shepard shook his head. "No. Thank you for the tour, Governor," he said, shaking the Governor's hand.

"It was my pleasure! What do you wish to do until the ceremony begins?"

Shepard glanced to Liara. "I'd like to show the lovely Doctor around. Is that alright?"

Sanders grinned as broadly as ever. "Of course! The entire area is open to you, Commander."

Liara looked up to Shepard. "Where would you like to go?"

"To the farms. Are people out there now?"

Governor Sanders shook his head. "No, they would be setting up or on their way here by now."

"Perfect." Shepard looked at the Governor. "We'll be here soon."

O-O-O-O-O

Shepard halted, his feet kicking up a cloud of dust from the dirt road. Liara came to a stop beside him, beads of sweat decorating her brow.

"Is this…"

"Yeah. This is…was my house. My home."

Unlike the other houses they'd seen and passed, his old house hadn't been renovated, torn down, or touched in anyway. In fact, as the sign standing proudly beside the top of the driveway indicated, it had been preserved.

Shepard walked up to the sign.

_The Shepard Home_

_The Shepard family, John, Jane, Taylor, and Ben lived here until the Batarian Raid of 2170_

_John, Jane, and Ben perished in the brutal attack_

_Taylor Shepard escaped and became an Alliance Marine and the first human Spectre_

_This home shall be maintained as a monument to Taylor Shepard and serve as a reminder and tribute to all 1412 souls who perished in the Batarian Raid_

_Mindoir Remembers_

Liara rested her hand on his arm and read the plaque.

Shepard forced his finger between the stiff collar of his dress shirt and skin, suddenly unbearably hot and constricted. He wasn't sure whether to be horrified, furious, sad, or disgusted. So he went with all of the above.

"How could they do this?" he whispered. "Make my home a _monument_? To _me_? What the _fuck_ did I do that warrants that?"

"Taylor…" Liara murmured soothingly.

"No! This is bullshit!" Shepard said hotly. "It says right there that 1412 people died! Why make this house, this goddamn farmhouse, a monument to that? What about Talitha? What about everyone else? Where the _fuck_ are _their_ names? Carl, Carmack, Michael, Rich, Sam, Mr. Harwick, Mr. Dylan, Mrs. Bev and Mr. Roy, Eliza, why aren't they listed here? Do they not matter? They weren't _famous_ enough to get named?"

His voice cracked as he strained not to scream. This plaque sidelined everyone who'd died, made it sound and look as if the only important people from Mindoir had been his family. And not even them compared to _him_. According to this fucking plaque, the only thing worth remembering from the real Mindoir was that Commander Shepard had been raised in this one house. This one house out of the dozens of others that had been raided and razed. One kid who'd escaped while a thousand others were slaughtered and kidnapped. That was all that mattered to these people. Him and his legacy. No one else did. They were forgotten, demeaned and diminished into an arbitrary number.

The sheer _injustice_ of the act made him quake with fury.

Liara must've felt the tremor in his arm, seen the tightness in his jaw, noticed the vein bulging in his neck.

She didn't speak. Instead, through her touch on his arm and hand, she gently pressed her consciousness to his.

Shepard accepted her, welcomed her as she soothed his horrible rage with her blanketing, comforting presence. To anyone watching, it looked as though the two of them were standing in silence before the plaque.

She remained silent as Shepard's thoughts and feelings raced before her, thoughts and feelings he couldn't quite express in words. As he wound down she swooped in, her mind, her presence, joining to his and providing a deep sense of peace. It allowed him to relax, take a breath, and calm down.

Slowly Liara withdrew and Shepard felt less whole as she retreated back to her body. He hugged her in silent thanks.

They stood embracing each other for some time, the hot sun beating down on them, the occasional breeze their only relief.

Eventually Shepard tapped his omni-tool. "We should head back. There's one last thing I want to do before the grand ceremony."

Liara leaned backward to get a better look at him, tilting her head to the side. "You do not want to go inside?"

Shepard looked to his home. It seemed darker, emptier, more worn and weathered. "No. Not now. Not this time."

O-O-O-O-O

Liara followed a few steps behind as Shepard made his way through the woods. Finding his way had been more difficult than he'd imagined. He had to find the house that used to be Carl's and go in the backyard where he'd killed the batarian. Standing in that spot he'd felt sickened and weak in the knees, knowing that that was the spot where he'd so brutally killed a living being. The spot where he'd found his mother and brother entwined and riddled with bullets. It had hurt more than he'd imagined and for an instant he was a terrified kid again, covered in blood and holding a dented pistol. When Liara had touched his shoulder he'd nearly knocked her to the ground in a panic, prepared for fight or flight.

He'd apologized profusely, ashamed and furious for nearly harming her in the midst of a flashback. He'd also made a mental note to get those patches from Chakwas meant to eliminate those flashbacks.

There was no real trail to follow so he had to make due with memory. Which was difficult, as he had sprinted through here in a panicked daze.

But eventually he found it. The open field with the sea of tall grass. The horizon seemed endless, the sky beginning to darken, a swirl of pink, orange, red, and yellow hues. As the wind rushed through the grass whirled and whispered like the ghosts of the dead. A shiver raced up Shepard's spine as he took a step forward.

He walked to same path he'd walked fifteen years before; through the grass and toward the hill, the sun floating just above its crest.

Shepard was dimly aware of Liara waiting at the edge of the woods. His feet carried him up the hill and he looked down. There it was. The patch of dirt and grass halfway down the gentle slope that he'd cowered on for over a day, alone, terrified, and heartbroken. And sunburnt.

He lowered himself slowly and sat on the patch. The suit didn't matter; it was probably already dirty and frankly, he didn't care if it was.

Bringing his knees to his chest, Shepard rested his arms and chin on them and stared off into the endless horizon.

He could remember as if it were yesterday, the sight and sound of the blue Alliance shuttles flying overhead, away from the colony. Weak and dehydrated, he'd been unable to shout to them. He'd been afraid to shout to them, convinced that batarians were still lurking in the shadows of the trees. As the shuttles had slowly disappeared into the sun and as he came to realize that he would die on the hill, one of them had spontaneously turned. The shuttle landed and a squad of marines had leapt from the open door. Four had secured the perimeter while one sprinted to him. Shepard had tensed, readying the dented pistol, unsure whether he could trust his sight. The man had stopped at the foot of the hill, his right hand outstretched and a canteen in the other.

_"Come here, son, we'll get you out." The man's voice was steady and calm and kind. His face was young and warm and truthful._

_ "I…no, who are you?"_

_ "Lieutenant David Anderson of the Alliance Navy. The batarians are gone. You're safe now." He took a step forward. "What's your name?"_

_ "Does it matter?" he asked, his throat as raw as the skin on his back._

_ "Yeah. It does." The man's eyes glance toward the pistol. "How 'bout a trade? That gun for this canteen?"_

_ So tempting. "How do I know you're real?" he asked in a small voice._

_ The man stepped forward and placed a heavy, warm, comforting hand on his shoulder. He threw his gun to the side, snatched the canteen, and drained it._

_ "I'm Taylor."_

When he felt pressure on his shoulder he looked up, half expecting to see Anderson's face. He smiled up at Liara who took a seat next to him.

"It is quite the view," she said slowly.

Shepard hummed in agreement. "It's beautiful. Never realized it though when I was trapped here." He forced his fingers through his short hair. "This is the only thing that is really Mindoir. This view, this scenery, this hill, that sky. This new town, these new people, it isn't the same."

Liara pressed her body closer to his and he wrapped his arm around her. "Did you expect it to be the same?"

"I…I don't know. Maybe I did, or maybe they're trying too hard to be Mindoir when they never will be. Never can be." Liara wrapped her arm around his waist. They were silent for a long moment, the whistle of the wind through the grass the only sound. "I miss my family." His chest tightened as he admitted the fact.

"What were they like?" Liara prodded gently.

Shepard broke into a grin. "Dad was hardworking and tough. A real farmer. Ran is his blood supposedly, since he came from a whole line of farmers from New Zealand, a little island country, back on Earth. And he almost never yelled since he had this uncanny ability to always defuse any mounting situation with a quick comment. Except for the one time he caught me driving my brother around in our skycar before I was allowed." He laughed. "He was so red in the face I thought he was going to pop. Screamed, "_TAYLOR SHEPARD_!" so loud I thought half the colony would hear him!" Liara laughed too.

"He never told my mom, though. I think he knew if she knew that I'd be dead and he liked me well enough to keep me around. My mom came from a pure Italian family, meaning she talked loud and with her hands." He gestured by waving his own. "Babied my brother, too. But I always forgave her for that since she cooked so damn well." He chuckled. "Once, when I was nine and my mom was pregnant with Ben, she and I cooked all day for my dad's birthday. It was on a day off from school and my dad was in the field all day, so we were in the kitchen all day. She'd let me chop the vegetables and stir whatever needed stirring, but mostly she told me about what Earth was like. What traveling in space was like. She talked about her parents and brother. They had all died before I was born so all my knowledge on them came from her. My grandparents had died a few years before she left for the colony and her brother had been killed in the First Contact War." He paused and smiled sadly. "That was the last time we ever did that. My brother was born soon after and everything had to be done with him."

"And your brother?" Liara asked after Shepard fell silent.

"Ben. Came home squalling and tiny and grew up to talking and scrawny. I swear, that kid never shut up," he said with mock anger. "Tagged around me and my friends a lot. We all liked him well enough so we let him. There was this one kid, some shit named Tommy, who began picking on Ben in school. When me and my friends found out we ganged up on him after school."

"What did you do?"

Shepard couldn't help but laugh at the worry in her voice. "Don't worry, we didn't touch him. He was six and we were fifteen. It was one on five and he pissed himself the second we said 'don't go near Ben again'." He shifted to look at her. "Remember how I told you my dad used to let me drink after we worked together in the field?" She nodded. "Well, Ben was always jealous of that. Killed him that Dad would never let him touch the stuff. So one afternoon when I was sixteen and my parents were out…"

"You let him?" Liara finished with a grin.

"Yeah. Got a pair of glasses and filled 'em with Dad's usual liquor. We sat outside on the back deck and drank it. Ben nearly choked to death, though, and I had to finish his." Shepard broke into a wide grin as he remembered that warm afternoon with his little brother. "I think my dad had an idea of what we did. Hell, he probably knew. But he never confronted me or Ben. That little memory would've stayed ours."

"It still is."

The grass rustled with the wind.

"Yeah. It is."

Liara pressed her cheek against his body. "I wish I could have met them."

Shepard squeezed her a little tighter. "So do I. They would've loved you."

"You think so?"

"I know so. C'mon, my dad would've talked your ear off about all the intimate details of farming, my mom would've taught you every recipe in the known galaxy, and my brother would've followed you around like a lost puppy." He kissed her forehead. "You would've fit right in."

"I think my mother would have liked you as well," Liara said.

"And I bet I would've liked her." He looked back to the horizon and noticed the sun had sunk lower. "Looks like we'll have a bunch of family stories to tell all our daughters."

Liara held her breath and Shepard froze. _Shit, did I really just say that_?

"Our daughters?" she asked coyly, looking up at him.

"Well-if you want…I mean, if you _think_ you'd want. I've thought about it, but-"

Liara's giggle interrupted his fumbling. "Have I flustered the great and unshakeable Commander Shepard?" she teased.

"I guess you have," Shepard conceded with a smile.

She craned her head and gave him a peck on the cheek. "I think our daughters would love to hear our stories." His smile transformed and widened into a grin. He never would have thought he would or could be so happy sitting here on this hill.

Shepard gave Liara a kiss and checked his omni-tool. "Shit, we need to go." Liara nodded wordlessly and stood and together they made their way through the grass and to the woods.

At the edge, Shepard paused and looked back. The sun had sunk lower, making the colorful hues of the sky more vibrant and brilliant. The summer heat had lessened to a comfortable range and the wind had died down to occasional soft breezes that raced through the tall grass. Birds still chirped and the insects were joining in with their own hum.

This was how he would remember Mindoir. As the beautiful farming colony with gorgeous vistas, a thriving and living sound. As he stood there, Shepard realized that the Batarian Raid and the new imposter colony didn't define Mindoir. Yes, they were bitter memories that he would never forget, never could forget, but they were just events. This scene, this picturesque snapshot of a Mindoir summer night, was what defined Mindoir. When he brought his daughters to visit his home, this is what he would show them.

A strange sense of calming peace settled over Shepard as he turned to walk with Liara. He draped his arm over her shoulders, thankful to everything that he had her.

O-O-O-O-O

They arrived at the spaceport to find Governor Sanders greeting his crew stepping off the shuttle. Garrus and Tali were out first, followed by Mordin, Samara, Thane, Grunt, Jacob, Kasumi, Miranda, and even Jack and Zaeed.

Sanders turned at the sound of their approach, a wide grin still on his face. Shepard wondered if his face ever tired from it. "Ah, Commander! Just in time, the ceremony begins in ten minutes." He waved a hand at the entourage standing before him. "I see you brought quite a crowd with you."

Shepard grinned at his crew. He hadn't expected all of them to come. "I see I have. Best damn crowd I've seen."

"It's all because I'm here, elevating the rest," Garrus commented dryly, earning a playful smack from Tali. Kasumi added one as well, followed in quick succession by less playful ones from Jack and Zaeed. Garrus held his hands up in mock surrender at the sudden barrage.

"Would you all like to be onstage?" Sanders asked. "And Dr. T'Soni, did you wish to sit with the Commander onstage?"

"Yes, I would appreciate that," Liara answered. Her voice was nearly drowned out by a chorus of collective 'no's from the crew.

"Then let's get going! People will start to think we're ditching them!" the Governor declared happily, turning on his heel and marching away, Shepard and the others following.

Kasumi sidled up beside him and Liara. "Gotta say, Liara, nice dress," she complimented before turning a dark glare on Shepard. "And then here's Shep, ruining the perfectly good suit I let him borrow!" She pointed accusingly at the smudges of dirt on his pants. "What were you doing, hiking? Who does that in a suit?"

Shepard gave her a smile. "I'm a trendsetter, Kasumi, didn't you know that?"

The thief snorted. "Sure, Shep. Make sure it gets back to me in decent shape, hmm?"

"Will do, Kasumi." At his reassurance she fell back to hover around Jacob.

It wasn't long after that that Sanders led them out of the town and into the huge field surrounded by trees on three sides. In the center was a stage, dozens of rows of chairs set up in front of it, all of them filled with waiting colonists.

"All of you may sit in the front row on the right side," Sanders said, pointing to the spot. "Commander, if you and Dr. T'Soni could follow me."

Shepard and Liara followed the Governor to the stage who gestured for them to sit in the only two available seats, flanked on either side by men, women, and reporters in suits.

Lights surrounded the field to supplement the fading sunlight. As Sanders' began his long speech filled with his endless enthusiasm, Shepard took the time to scan the crowd.

These were the people that had moved in and rebuilt Mindoir. And they looked like…like colonists. Some were tall and skinny, some were short and round, and some were in between. There were old couples, young couples, small and large families, and kids bouncing impatiently in their seats. They had the colored, faintly rough look that many associated with colonists, the same look he could faintly remember seeing on his parents, friends, and neighbors.

They weren't imposters, Shepard realized. They weren't insulting the memory of Mindoir. They were new. New colonists rebuilding a destroyed settlement. He couldn't blame them for not grasping the full weight of the attack, he could never explain to them why he would never feel truly 'at home' here again, because none of them were from the original Mindoir. They were from the new Mindoir. Different, but not necessarily bad.

His home was a memory, just like his family, his childhood friends and crushes. A memory like Mr. Dylan and Mrs. Bev and Eliza. These new colonists could rebuild the place all they wanted, but it would never be the same. But they also couldn't tarnish his memories that held the true Mindoir. And he could live with that.

Governor Sanders' speech ended to a sea of applause and Shepard joined in, not fully aware what he was cheering for. He looked to the corner of the stage and saw two men in uniform, militiamen by the look of it, hoisting a flag up a flagpole. At the top, the flag unfurled and straightened in the wind. In the light, Shepard could see the profile of his face on a red background with small, white writing beneath it. Even with his enhancements he couldn't quite make it out. Sanders moved away from the podium and, with a quick tap on his omni-tool, activated a large screen behind Shepard.

He craned his neck around to get a better look. The screen pictured the new colonial seal and flag side by side.

The seal was his darkened profile with a pair of dates, 2152-2170, _the original Mindoir_, on the left side and another pair, 2177-∞, _the new Mindoir_, on the right. Scrolled beneath his profile were the words, _Rebuilt to Last_.

The flag was similar, his profile painted gold, the writing in stark white, and the background deep red.

Sanders looked to him and Shepard took the cue to stand. As the crowd erupted in cheers and applause he hoped that infinity would hold true for them.

He grasped Sanders' outstretched hand firmly and the two stood in front of the screen, smiling for the hovercams operated by the reporters filming and photographing the moment. Shepard wanted the moment to end as quickly as possible; receiving standing ovation from a huge sea of people and getting his picture taken a dozen times by bobbing hovercams were never welcome. Combined made the whole situation rather unpleasant. But for the moment he stuffed his discomfort down and put a dazzling smile on.

Eventually the pictures stopped and the crowd sat and the people began to slowly disperse. The men and women and reporters made their greetings and farewells in one go and departed, leaving only Sanders on the stage with Shepard and Liara.

"Thank you for coming, Commander. You made this historic moment truly special."

Shepard shook his outstretched hand again. "It was my pleasure, Governor. Though there was one thing I wanted…"

"Name it and I'll do whatever I can in my power to make it happen," Sanders promised.

"That plaque, down by my old house. I want you to take it down. You can leave my house standing, but change the plaque."

"To what?" Sanders asked, slightly confused.

"A real memorial. Name all 1412 souls who perished in the attack. And if you name me as a survivor, name Talitha as well. She has as much a right as I do to be listed. They all do."

Sanders bobbed his head. "Done. I'll get started right away, it won't be hard going through the final census to get all the names." He looked up to Shepard, his trademark grin fading slightly. "And Talitha? There was another survivor?"

"Yeah. Turned up a few years ago. Kidnapped when she was a little girl…"

"God, I'm so sorry, I should have found out, should have contacted her," the Governor said guiltily.

Shepard shook his head. "She's not really in a good place right now. Maybe in another few years."

"Of course. Was there anything else you wanted?"

Shepard was about to say no before an idea struck him. "At the northwest corner of the town, if you follow the setting sun into the woods, you'll find yourself in an open field with a hill. I want that area preserved."

"Preserved?"

"Yes. You don't need to make any memorial, don't need to put up any plaques, just keep the land from being flattened. The entire field and its surrounding area."

Sanders bobbed his head again. "I'll section off a few square miles of land. If anyone asks I'll tell them it's Commander Shepard's land." He laughed heartily, the grin coming back in full force.

Shepard laughed too and clapped the Governor on the shoulder. "You're a good man, Sanders. Thank you for inviting me."

"Not a problem, Commander. Please visit anytime!" Shepard promised he would, waited as Liara said her goodbyes, and then the two of them walked hand in hand off the stage.

They encountered a few stragglers on the way to the spaceport, most gushing how great it was that Shepard had taken the time to visit. Shepard talked with them for a few minutes, even going so far as to agree to take a picture with a young girl and her brother, before continuing on his way with Liara.

When they reached the spaceport they found the crew waiting beside the shuttle.

"I thought for sure you were going to give a speech," Garrus said.

Jack snorted. "Shepard's only good at motivating us to kill more Collectors, not talk to a fucking crowd of colonists."

"It's one of my hidden talents, Jack." With his arm wrapped around Liara, Shepard looked at his entire crew. "Before we leave I just wanted to thank you all for coming down here. It really means a lot to me."

His crew nodded at his words before Zaeed called out, "Only reason I came is 'cause Kasumi told me there'd be a guddamn buffet."

"And alcohol," Jack added.

Kasumi was about to retort angrily before Shepard cut her off with a laugh. "Plenty of that back on the _Normandy_. C'mon."

The Kodiak may have been small but they managed to stuff themselves in as comfortably as they could, Shepard pressed between Liara and Grunt of all people. His crew spoke and joked with each other, filling the shuttle with their friendly banter, while Liara talked with Tali and Garrus.

Shepard kept silent as he watched out the window. The pilot took the same way back, passing over the town and the hill, a dark smudge on the ground, lost in the sea of grass and nearly invisible in the darkening sky.

He was leaving Mindoir for a second time, but this time with a crew of warriors and scientists and assassins, all prepared to walk into hell with him. But most of all, he was leaving with the woman he loved.

Coming home wasn't what he'd expected. But he left feeling more at peace than he'd ever thought he would.


End file.
